Door closer



Nov. 15, 1966 s. P. PATRIQUIN 3,284,841

DOOR CLOSER Filed June 10, 1964 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 4 i 5 M111: g:

INVENTOR eorye P. Paariyazln ATTORNEY Nov. 15, 1966 G. P. PATRlQUlN DOOR CLOSER 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed June 10, 1964 ANFE INVENT OR eorye B Pa in Y lain ATTORNEY United States Patent 3,284,841 DOOR CLOSER George P. Patriquin, Gardner, Mass., assignor to Independent Lock Company, Fitchburg, Mass., a corporation of Massachusetts Filed June 10, 1964, Ser. No. 374,052 2 Claims. (Cl. 16-52) This invention relates to a door closer, and particularly to a door closer of the type wherein a cylindrical casing houses a piston which is linearly shiftable within a bore formed in the casing.

In closers of this type spring means within the casing bias the piston toward one end of the cylinder. The piston and cylinder are connected respectively to a door and doorframe and when the door is opened the piston is drawn in a direction to compress the spring means. Means are provided within the cylinder for damping the movement of the piston when the door is released and returns to its initial position under the influence of the spring.

More particularly, this invention relates to a door closer of the type described which may be of either a pneumatic or hydraulic damped type. Still more particularly, this invention relates to a novel hold mechanism whereby the door may be locked in a partially open position.

Still more particularly, this invention relates to a door closer assembly of the type described wherein both the hold-open and speed regulating functions of the door closer device are effected by adjustment of a single readily available control mechanism.

Still more particularly, this invention relates to a door closer of the type described having a novel external closing speed regulator which regulates the closing speed of a door without reference to metering of the damping fluid.

It is known to provide door closer devices wherein the damping function is performed by air which is permitted gradually to escape through a bleed mechanism or by hydraulic fluid which is by-passed through a metering valve. Typically, the hydraulic closers in particular are, in part by reason of the relatively complex valving mechanism heretofore required for regulating purposes, expensive to produce and used only in rather heavy industrial installations. The use of a hydraulically damped closer embodying the linearly shifted piston rod principle, while previously suggested, has not proved commercially feasible. One reason is that the relatively complex internal bleed valving required to provide adjustable closing speeds in devices heretofore known, have been so expensive as to restrict their use to heavy industrial closers, which can command a price which will justify the use of this valving.

A further reason is that in closers of the type herein dealt with, wherein a piston rod extends outwardly through one end of the casing, it is necessary to provide some sort of locking mechanism to hold the door in an open position. In the past, this has taken the form of an annular washer slideably carried on the piston rod which, when it is desired to hold the door open, is pressed against the rod -by a projection on one end of the casing. Such hold- Open devices are not dependable and are useless for hydraulic installations since the scarring of the piston rod ultimately leads to a loss of hydraulic fluid. This is so since the rod must slide through a hydraulic sealing packing and it will be readily recognized that by sliding a scarred rod through such packing, the packing will be quickly worn and compromised.

Accordingly, it is an object of the invention to provide an improved door closer of the sliding piston rod type which may employ either pneumatic or hydraulic damping.

A further object of the invention is to provide an improved door closer of the type described having a highly effective hold-open member which also serves as a closing speed regulator.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a simple and efiicient door closer wherein the speed regulation is effected without reference to a metering of the damping fluid.

A still further object of the invention is the provision of a novel hold-open and closing speed regulator for a door closer of the type described which will not scar or otherwise mar the piston rod, whereby hydraulic damping may be employed without fear of compromising the seal of the device.

in order more fully to describe the device and illustrate its use, reference is made to the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a fragmentary perspective view showing a closer of the type described mounted on a door and door frame.

FIG. 2 is a cross-section taken on line 2-2 of FIG- URE 4.

FIG. 3 is a vertical section taken on line 33 of FIG- URE 4.

FIG. 4 is a longitudinal section taken on line 44 of FIGURE 1.

FIG. 5 is an exploded perspective view of the component parts of the hold-open and speed adjustment assembly.

According to the embodiment of the invention shown in FIGURE 1, a closer device comprises a casing 20, one end 21 of which is pivotally mounted to bracket 22 aflixed to a door frame F. A bracket 23 is affixed to moving door D, the outer end of piston rod 25 being pivotally affixed to said bracket 23. The mounting as described is in all respects conventional for closer assemblies of this type. The piston rod 25 at the end remote from the outer end 26, is provided with a piston head 27. The head 27 includes a gasket member 2 3, the peripheral portion of which forms a sealing contact with the inner bore 29 of cylinder 20.

The gasket 28 is sandwiched between washers 30 and 31 carried on piston rod 25, there being provided an amount of play or permitted relative axial movement of the gasket 28 between washers 30 and 31 by the interposed spacer 36. Washer 31 is provided, adjacent its periphery, with a series of apertures 32. The washer 30 forms a centering means for the central aperture 28a in gasket 28 by its engagement with forwardly directed sealing portions 23b of the gasket. Washer 31 is provided with a smaller bleed aperture 32a, which lies radially inwardly with respect to apertures 32, said bleed aperture being disposed closer to the rod 25 than the material defining aperture 28a in gasket 28. The forward washer 30 is provided with apertures 30a which are located closer to the rod 25 than the material of gasket 28 surrounding aperture 28a (see FIG. 2).

From the foregoing, it will be noted that as the piston head 27 moves away from end 21 fluid may pass both through limited aperture 32a and apertures 30a. Also, due to the unseating of gasket 28 from apertures 32 on the rearward stroke, an additional flow is permitted through apertures 32 and apertures 30a. However, on the return stroke of piston head 27 toward end 21, gasket 23 seals apertures 32 and the single aperture 32a forms a restricted metering aperture, which damps the movement of the piston head toward end 21 of the casing. The speed of the damped movement is preferably the fastest desired closing speed for a door. The additional regulation of the closing speed is provided by the end cap assembly, next to be described.

The sandwiched construction of the piston head 27 is maintained in position by the turned over end portion 33 of piston rod 25, which overlies part of washer 30 and locks the latter to the piston rod. Preferably, the casing 20 is provided with an internal boss 35 which, when the piston head 27 is pressed toward end 21, butts against portion 33 thereby to prevent the turned over sealing portion 28b of gasket 28 from engaging against the inner end wall of the casing.

The opposite end 40 of the casing is open and supports therein an end cap assembly referred to generally as 41, which performs the hold-open and the speed regulating functions. The end assembly 41 includes a cap member 42 which is preferably made of a resilient plastic material having a high degree of plastic memory, nylon being a preferred example of such material. The cap member 42 is provided with an annular groove 43 within which is seated an O ring 44 of deformable material. The cap member 42 is supported in the open end 40 of cylinder 20 by spinning or otherwise deforming an annular portion 45 of the cylinder into the groove 43. It will be recognized that when portion 45 is spun into the groove 43, the O ring 44 will be deformed and will thus effect a fluid-tight seal of the end cap in the cylinder.

The end cap member 42 at its inner end 46 is provided with a recessed portion 47, within which there is seated an ela-stomeric washer 48. A cup shaped retainer washer 49 is disposed against washer 48 and a coil spring Si) is interposed between the washer 49 and the washer 31, forming the rearmost portion of the piston head assembly 27. The spring 50 which is under compression when inserted in the manner above set forth, normally urges the piston head 27 toward the end 21 of the casing. Similarly, the spring bears against washer 49, and thus presses the elastomeric washer 48 into the cup like recess 47 to maintain this washer in position. Preferably, washer 48 is of greater thickness than the depth of recess 47 so that the back of washer 49 presses against the face of the elastorneric washer, ten-ding, by reason of the embracing fit of the recess about the outer periphery of washer 48 to cause an inward radial deformation of washer 48.

The end cap member is centrally apertured at 51, which aperture is in alignment with aperture 52 in washer 48. At the outer end of the end cap member there is formed a threaded portion 60 which threaded portion preferably is somewhat steeply pitched, being in the order of about eight threads to the inch. The area immediately inwardly of the threaded portion 60 defines an inclined cam surface 61, which slopes toward the piston rod and toward end 21 of the casing.

Slideably disposed over the rod 25 and located in engagement with the cam surface 61 there is disposed a stop member 62 which, like the cap member, is formed preferably of nylon or like resilient plastic having good bearing and plastic memory properties. The stop member is provided with an internal bore 63 providing a slight clearance with respect to the rod 25. The stop member 62 is longitudinally split at 64 to facilitate the compressibility of the stop member about the rod. The external surface of the stop member 62 is provided with sloped portions 65 at an angle complementary to and nesting intimately against the cam portion 61 of the end cap member. The portion 65 of the stop member is preferably recessed as at 66 to provide limited areas of contact between the stop member and the cam surface 61.

The assembly is completed by the provision of a control and hold-open adjustment member 70 having an outer threaded portion 71, which may be threadably connected to threaded portion 60 of the end cap member. The control member 70 is centrally apertured at 72, and the rod 25 slideably extends through this aperture when the control member is seated on the end cap member. The closer assembly casing may be filled with hydraulic fluid where a heavy duty installation for handling relatively heavier doors is desired or, alternatively, in lighter door construction air damping may be desired.

When the closer assembly is mounted between the door and frame as shown in FIGURE 1, and the door is opened, the piston rod 25 will be drawn outwardly or toward end 40 of the casing to thereby compress spring 50.

As previously described, the piston movement away from end 21 takes place with limited damping since the plural by pass apertures provide little resistance to fluid flow.

When the door is released, however, all the fluid must pass through limited aperture 32a and a relatively slow closing of the door is eifeeted. Additional regulation of the closing speed is provided by control member 70. The inner end 73 of said member bears against the outer end 67 of the stop member 62, with a pressure which is dependent upon the relative position of the control member in end cap member 42. Where such pressure is exerted it will be apparent that the stop member will be shifted axially toward end 21 of the casing. Such axial shifting will, by reason of the camming engagement between portion 61 of the end cap member and 65 of the stop member, cause a compression of the stop member about the piston rod 25.

When the piston rod is moving outwardly of the cylinder there is a tendency, by reason of the frictional contact of the rod and stop member, to reduce the contact force between parts 61 and 65 and hence, release the clamping eifect of the stop member about the rod. However, as the piston moves in the opposite direction it tends to carry the stop member with it and thus to augment the clamping force about the piston rod. It

will thus be observed that if any considerable pressure is applied to end part 67 by an actuation of control member 70, the clamping force exerted by the stop member against the piston rod, particularly on the closing movement of the door, will cause a reduction in the speed of closing. Thus it will be seen that although a constant damping action internally is provided by aperture 32b, by adjustment of the control member 70, an additional regulation of the closing speed of the door may be accomplished. Moreover, as previously pointed out, the pressure exercised by the stop member against the rod is automatically relieved in part when the door is moved toward the open position. Thus no substantial increase is observed in the force required to open the door.

When it is desired to hold the door in an open or partially open position against the closing influence of the spr ng, it is merely necessary to further rotate the control 70 in a direction to provide a greater pressure against the stop member 62, whereupon further closing movement of the door will be prevented. It will be noted that the deformable material used for the stop member 62 will not scar the piston rod 25 but rather appears to burnish and smooth the rod during operation, hence even in continued use the seal between the rod and the packing washer 48 is not compromised.

When the stop member is tightly locked about the plston rod, it is still possible to open the door further by reason of the reduced gripping action of the stop member about the rod as previously described when a movement of the rod away from the end 21 is effected. If a comparable movement were attempted with lock-open members heretofore known, the result might well be destruction of the lock-open feature due to a distortion of the washer or the piston rod.

From the foregoing it will be seen that the present invention provides a simple and improved door closer device of long iasting construction, and having control and hold-open features superior to similar types of door closers heretofore known. The novel construction permits the use of hydraulic fluid in such closers, whereby a small hydraulic closer may be utilized to handle installa-' tions of a size previously requiring much larger, more complex, and costlier hydraulic closers of the rotating pinion type. The invention is not to be taken as limited to the specific illustrated embodiment, but rather is to be broadly construed within the scope of the appended claims.

Having thus described the invention and illustrated its use, what is claimed as new and is desired to be secured by Letters Patent is:

1. In a hydraulic fluid damped door closer device of the type wherein a piston having a piston rod reciprocates within the bore of a cylinder, with the hydraulic fluid contacting said rod, means for adjusting the closing speed of the door and for holding the door at a selected open position, comprising (a) a central apertured end cap member through which said rod slid-ably extends, said device having yieldable sealing means adjacent said end cap member slida-bly engaging said rod for preventing leakage of hydraulic fluid from between said rod and sealing means, said aperture of said end cap member being of a generally frusto-conical shape, with the apex of said aperture directed toward said piston, said end cap member including a threaded portion,

(b) a generally frusto-conical stop member nested in said aperture, said stop member being formed of resilient plastic and having a central aperture slidably engaging said rod; and

(c) adjustable locking means threadedly connected to said portion of said end cap member for engaging said stop member and shifting said member with variable force axially toward the apex of said aperture, whereby said stop member will be radially pressed about said rod with a compressive force which is a function of the axial force applied to said stop member by the threaded adjustment of said locking means with respect to said end cap member.

2. Ina hydraulic fluid damped door closer device of the type wherein a piston having a piston rod reciprocates within the bore of a cylinder and said fiuid contacts said rod, means for adjusting the closing speed of the door and for holding the door at a selected open position, comprising (a) a centrally .apertured end cap member through which said rod extends, said cap member including a threaded portion, yieldable sealing means adjacent said end cap member slidably engaging said rod for preventing leakage of hydraulic fluid from between said rod and sealing means;

(b) an apertured stop member of resilient, deformable plastic including axially and radially inclined side portions, said rod being slidable in said aperture of said stop member;

(0) a generally -frusto-conical recess formed in said end cap member, the inclined side portions of said stop being disposed adjacent the walls defining said recess, and

((1) adjustable locking means threadedly connected to said portion of said end cap member for shifting said stop member with variable force axially toward said end cap member, thereby to urge said inclined side portions of said step against the Walls defining said recess, whereby, through the engagement of said inclined portions and walls, said stop member will be radially pressed against said rod with a compressive force which is a function of the axial force applied to said stop member by said adjustment means.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,488,292 3/1924 Schonfield 292-275 2,352,016 6/1944 Sasgen 292275 2,949,625 8/1960 Guyer 1652 2,953,810 9/1960 Hall 1652 EDWARD C. ALLEN, Primary Examiner.

JOSEPH D. SEERS, Examiner.

J. H. MCGLYNN, Assistant Examiner. 

1. IN A HYDRAULIC FLUID DAMPED DOOR CLOSER DEVICE OF THE TYPE WHEREIN A PISTON HAVING A PISTON ROD RECIPROCATES WITHIN THE BORE OF A CYLINDER, WITH THE HYDRAULIC FLUID CONTACTING SAID ROD, MEANS FOR ADJUSTING THE CLOSING SPEED OF THE DOOR AND FOR HOLDING THE DOOR AT A SELECTED OPEN POSITION, COMPRISING (A) A CENTRAL APERTURED END CAP MEMBER THROUGH WHICH SAID ROD SLIDABLY EXTENDS, SAID DEVICE HAVING YIELDABLE SEALING MEANS ADJACENT SAID END CAP MEMBER SLIDABLY ENGAGING SAID ROD FOR PREVENTING LEAKAGE OF HYDRAULIC FLUID FROM BETWEEN SAID ROD AND SEALING MEANS, SAID APERTURE OF SAID END CAP MEMBER BEING OF A GENERALLY FRUSTO-CONICAL SHAPE, WITH THE APEX OF SAID APERTURE DIRECTED TOWARD SAID PISTON, SAID END CAP MEMBER INCLUDING A THREADED PORTION, 